Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-st. Vivant Grand Cru 2019 750ml

The 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti captures this mystical Grand Cru in a vintage that perfectly balanced ripeness with the site's inherent delicacy. Often considered the most enigmatic of DRC's holdings, RSV in 2019 demonstrates how ideal conditions can enhance rather than mask its ethereal character, producing a wine of extraordinary completeness that still maintains its essential femininity.

The bouquet is immediately captivating in its complexity and refinement. The warmth of 2019 has produced exceptional ripeness, yet RSV's delicate nature shines through brilliantly. Red cherry and wild strawberry aromas are perfectly ripe yet maintain freshness, while an extraordinary floral component - violets, peonies, and white flowers - creates an almost perfumed quality. The whole-cluster signatures are evident but refined, adding white pepper and stem spice that enhance rather than dominate. Already, complex notes of black tea, exotic spices, and forest floor begin to emerge.

On the palate, this wine achieves the perfect expression of Romanée-Saint-Vivant's character - that unique combination of delicacy and hidden power. The texture is extraordinarily silky, almost ethereal, yet there's impressive concentration beneath the surface. The 2019 vintage's natural balance is perfectly expressed: ripe fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry, and blood orange are enhanced by exotic spices, while maintaining the crystalline purity that defines great RSV. The tannins are abundant yet so fine they barely register.

What distinguishes this 2019 is how it captures both the generosity of the vintage and the restraint of the terroir. Where other Grand Crus might show more obvious power in such a ripe year, RSV maintains its essential elegance while gaining additional layers of complexity. Mid-palate, the wine reveals its secrets gradually - incense, sandalwood, white truffle, and that distinctive mineral quality that seems almost saline. This is RSV showing both its sensual and intellectual sides.

The philosophy of minimal intervention that defines DRC is perfectly illustrated here. Rather than trying to make RSV into something it's not, they've allowed its natural character to express itself fully within the context of a warm vintage. The result is a wine that expands the definition of what RSV can be while remaining true to its essential nature - mysterious, complex, and utterly captivating.

The finish is remarkably long and nuanced, with layers of red fruit, exotic spices, and mineral notes that continue to evolve. While more approachable in youth than many vintages thanks to 2019's natural charm, this wine is clearly built for the long haul. Properly cellared, it should evolve magnificently over the next 30-40 years, revealing new dimensions with each passing decade. This is RSV for both hedonists and intellectuals - immediately pleasurable yet endlessly thought-provoking.